It's safe to keep an external hard disk always connected to the pc ?

Discussion in 'hardware' started by blacknight, Aug 16, 2015.

  1. blacknight

    blacknight Registered Member

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    It would be very useful for a non stop synchronized back up of my data, but I think it's not safe. Do you have experiences ? And what ?
     
  2. Minimalist

    Minimalist Registered Member

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    If I would have one for non-stop synchronization connected all the time, I would buy another one that wouldn't be connected non stop and would use it once a week as secondary backup.
     
  3. mirimir

    mirimir Registered Member

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    CryptoLocker etc malware :eek:

    So yes, what Minimalist said.
     
  4. blacknight

    blacknight Registered Member

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    Ya, in fact I have two external hard disk: but if the one that is always connected risk a break down, my aim to have an external back up in real time fails.
     
  5. blacknight

    blacknight Registered Member

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    I hope is not the last famous words :D but I believe to be protected.
     
  6. Krusty

    Krusty Registered Member

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    +1

    A drive can't be encrypted by ransomware if it is not connected.
     
  7. PallMall

    PallMall Guest

    What security issue does an external hard drive always connected to the PC involve? I've never heard about that.

    EDIT : Oops ...
    Indeed, I hadn't read that comment. Seems obvious.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Aug 16, 2015
  8. blacknight

    blacknight Registered Member

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    Ops... may be that my question was not so clear... I mean physically " safe ": I want to know if to be always connected to my pc exposes the external hard disk to some electronic or electrical risk.
     
  9. PallMall

    PallMall Guest

    OK, I got it -- My misunderstanding got me to be reminded of the code security implication (A drive can't be encrypted by ransomware if it is not connected.), and the meaning of your question, as you make it clear (physically " safe ") is another problematic I have this time never heard about : peripherals are by definition (almost) always connected and there is, to my knowledge, no particular risk generally admitted as such. But I understand your concern when a disk indeed involves data and requires more than any other peripheral a special attention.
     
  10. Minimalist

    Minimalist Registered Member

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    Power surge could potentially harm your disk. For that purpose it would be better to backup your data in cloud.
     
  11. Brian K

    Brian K Imaging Specialist

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    How much data do you store in the cloud? It would take 4 months of continuous uploading to copy my data to the cloud and I don't see that as practical. But copying my data to an external HD is practical. Several hours.
     
  12. Minimalist

    Minimalist Registered Member

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    I personally store it on external HDD and update it once a week. I don't need real-time backup, so I don't use cloud at all. Blacknight have different needs, OTOH.
     
  13. Krusty

    Krusty Registered Member

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    * A drive can't be damaged by power failures if it is not connected.
     
  14. blacknight

    blacknight Registered Member

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    It's what I too believe, also if I created this thread. In fact, actually I make a weekly backup on a external hard drive as Minimalist.
     
  15. Page42

    Page42 Registered Member

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    One connected and one in a safe. I should have a third secured off-site, but haven't prioritized that just yet.
     
  16. Mrkvonic

    Mrkvonic Linux Systems Expert

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    I've got loads of external disks running 24/7. For years. No problem.
    They are also connected to UPS like all other devices, so it's all good.
    Mrk
     
  17. Nebulus

    Nebulus Registered Member

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    If you connect it to the computer all the time, then it is as safe (or unsafe) as an internal HDD...
     
  18. Tani

    Tani Registered Member

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    It's purpose of being external would be reduced a bit also will be consuming lots of resources asides security issues.
     
  19. Mrkvonic

    Mrkvonic Linux Systems Expert

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    What resources? And what security issues?
    Mrk
     
  20. J_L

    J_L Registered Member

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    I believe he means electricity / tiny amounts of system resources, and malware like CryptoLocker.
     
  21. Raza0007

    Raza0007 Registered Member

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    It is safe to leave external drives connected. Most drives have a built in sleep mode, that will turn off the drive if it has not been in use for 30 minutes or more. Both my external usb drives go to sleep after 30 minutes, and when I need/access them, I can hear them waking up. So, you will have no high electric bills nor will you have any issues with extra wear and tear with prolonged use. You should not be concerned with electric surges either, because if there is an electric surge, it will knock out your PC and its internal drive first.
     
  22. Minimalist

    Minimalist Registered Member

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    Yes and right after that your external drives could get it. And if those drives were your only backup, you lose your working drives and all backups also.
     
  23. Raza0007

    Raza0007 Registered Member

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    Yes that is true. My point was that if a person has not done anything to protect their PC from a surge, then they do not need to worry too much about the health and safety of the connected external drives. The PC will go first.
     
  24. hawki

    hawki Registered Member

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    I daily backup to two separate unconnected externalHDDs. that I connect only to back up and never when I am online.

    Don't rely on an external HDD as a fool proof back up.

    I had an Iomega external HDD go bad on me in 7 months. Lost a ton of stuff.

    Evidently for a period of time they were using a Seagate drive that was later discovered to have serious failure issues. There were a ton of complaints on the Iomega Forums.

    Support Stock Answer: "Of course Iomega will honor it's warranty and replace the External HDD. To retrieve data on the failed disk look elsewhere. It's gonna cost yeah."
     
  25. mirimir

    mirimir Registered Member

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    Iomega :eek:

    Click of Death :eek:

    With 40MB HDDs, Zip drives were the only way to fly ;)
     
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